still trying to put out a fire that they say is growing by the minute. you can see that large plume of heavy black smoke there rising from the flames in the shellville area near the intersection of highway 116 and 121. right now fire crews are telling people within a one-mile radius to get out as the flames continue to grow. at this point, not clear how the fire started. we'll bring you more information as soon as it comes into our newsroom. >> now to our other top story on a special edition of nbc bay area news at 5:30. top democrats say the impeachment investigation into president trump could wrap up by the end of the year. >> at least 225 house democrats now support some type of impeachment action and are insisting on a tight time line. nbc news sarah dalof reports and. >> we expect more subpoenas nex

>> democrats are seeking records of interactions with the president and the personal lawyer rudy giuliani and ukraine's government. according to the whistle-blower complaint, giuliani traveled to ukraine this summer and met with the presidential adviser about a plan to investigate joe biden. >> would i like to testify and tell my story? sure. i've been telling it all the time. >> ukraine's former chief prosecutor tells nbc's richard engle he was also in contact with giuliani. >> i have spoken with him, maybe ten times. >> and was giuliani asking you about the bidens? >> the president's campaign doubling down on unsubstarte vi to protect his son who served on ukraine to fire its prosecutor the board of ukrainian gas company. >> they losthe election. now they want to steal this one. >> there's been no evidence of wrongdoing by either biden. joe biden says the president is afraid of him.

>> it's pretty clear that he will stop at nothing. >> i've become the object of his attention. >> intensifying emotions and pressure as the investigation ramps up. sarah dalof, nbc news. we just showed you senator kamala harris over the weekend and she just arrived at an event in san francisco's chinatown and she's opening a new campaign office over in oakland. her have you comes as new polling data shows some of her support among california voters is fading. uc berkeley shows harris running in fourth warren first and joe third and more concerning, senator harris has dropped down to single we' talking about california. this is not nationwide. nbc bay area political analyst, and senator harris in california. she's losing support. what has she done to lose it and what does she have to do to get

it back? >> that 8% is big. nationwide she's hovering behind 5% and 6%. look, she's fallen off the wagon in terms of her presidential posture and that first debate is where she's shined the most, why? well, first of all, she's had a hard time talking about medical care. many say she's flip-flopped over this issue and with single payer and people having private care. a lot of people believe that she's equivocal when it comes to many issues and we have to look into this rather than taking a position on many issues. i a ve and sseco h tier with a lot e far bethose those at the top. >> we're talking about joeth warner and talking about bernie sanders and is one of those three and is one of those three going to be the nominee? >> people don't like to hear what i'm about to say, but it is

still early. it is still early. we're 13 month away. >> yeah. >> we're eight, nine month away from the convention so we don't know. rid now they look good. all of them look good compared to the other, but there are so many things that can happen over the next few months, even between now and february, let's say when the iowa caucus begins and if someone commits a real faux pas and someone else comes up with a big issue and there are so many things and right now, they seem to be gathering the most attention and the most popularity and i wouldn't want to place a bet on any of them just yet. >> the campaign race earlier and earlier any cycle. let's talk about the current president and the threat of impeachment and how real is it, how's this going to play in? what are your thoughts? >> it's real and it's very serious. i've watched two of these contests in the past and nixon and clinton and any time i get to this point, this is when the medal meets the road and it's very tough.

what we have to think about is how serious are these issues? did he mean anything? the presidents has admitted to much of it and he said yeah, i did ask this guy for help in the ukraine to get to joe biden. he's admitted that, so we're not arguing with that fact and the question is how serious is it? the republicans say it's much ado about nothing. we're overreacting and it says right here in the law and an american law that no president should go ahead and try to work with another person to deal with an election. you just can't do it. oh, well, you're overreacting and that's not so, say the interviews with people who are mentioned in the nine-page indictment that the democrats received and they'll find out exactly how serious it is. >> you will see a lot of hearings beginning next week and they're fast tracking this thing and the democrats hope to have a veto impeachment by thanksgiving and if they do that, they'll

move it along fairly quickly. i'll tell you something, people talked about this, and cavalierly they talked about it and it's not a cavalier issue and if they've got the goods it will be a very nasty trial. >> we'll see if they can get the republican-controlled senate to go over it. >> all right. larry, thanks very much for being here. new at 5:00, a federal judge in los angeles has rules that would keep children and their parents in detension h a 1997 s agreement that requires the government to release immigrant children caught on the border as quickly as possible t white hou them from keeping families together. developing now, vote counting is under way in afghanistan following today's presidential election. taliban fighters attacked several polling stations across the country, but intense security measures prevented large-scale violence. more than a dozen candidates are

running and must get at least 51% of the vote to get elected. final results are not expected until november 7th. the winner will play a crucial role in any kind of talk between the taliban and the united states which were called off earlier this month. some metallica fans will have to wait longer for the band's upcoming tour and that's because frontman james hatfield has entered rehab. the band's upcoming tour in australia and new zealand is canceled. a few weeks ago they opened up the center with the san francisco symphony. anyone who purchased tickets for the remaining show days will receive automatic refunds. he's been struggling with addiction for years and it's the beginning of the month and they were playing with the symphony opening up the brand-new spectacular chase center. it's a comeback story 24 years in the making. today santa clara held its first parade of champions since 1995. more than 2,000 marchers across 100 entries took part including

11 marching bands and the parade of champions became a legacy in santa clara. at one point, though, only the pasadena rose parade was begger and then in 1995 the founder retired, and that parade was suspended indefinitely and the community is thrilled that it's back. >> it was an amazing demonstration of music and i really love the whole design and the whole organization of this, and it was surprising to me. ton and the home tour and the old quad. >> think, next year i'm thinking i'm going to have a booth. >> the parade of champions has that title because it is to show case the sports to civic and business leaders to art, culture and now, of course, tech. it was a deadly and devastating wildfire that tore through the north bay. >> now, new evidenced is coming to light about what might have started it. what the investigative unit uncovered.

>> we are tracking thunder showers off to the east and approaching sacramento and increasing chance of seeing showers in the bay area by the time we finish the weekend. the details and what to expect with the snow when we come right back.

santa rosa's neighborhood and it killed 22 people. >> that was the only major fire from the wine country firestorm that investigators say pg&e did not cause, but we've uncovered new pictures that one expert says investigative rotor jaxon van derbeken has the story. >> those boil-like marks are on voltage lines and roughly 100 yard away from the private hill top electrical system that cal fire says started the tubb fire. we took the images to an electrical engineer who spent four decades analyzing fire started by electricity. >> there were about 1700 fires

and accident and about a thousand fires. >> he believes the picture leaves little question about where the fire began. >> this is where the fire started. >> or what caused it. >> there's a bright flash between the top wire and some vegetation and there's similar event. >> the boil-like mark are created when power lines are hit by a burst of energy. that literally boils the copper wire for a split second, creating a flash and potentially sparking a fire. >> you may remember weeks ago we brought you this surveillance video showing the flash near the origin of the tubbs fire. flames tear across the hillside near the bennett lane winery in calistoga. cal fire never explained that flash and the agency's final report does not even mention the kind of mark seen in the photos and that's important because we learned those photos were taken

when pg&e had the photos. all of that leads to a very sharp conclusion. >> we reached out to cal fire about tubbs' finding. cal fire told us they stand by the report. the report that blames an unpermitted electrical system on a private property. bill johnson believes cal fire got it right. >> you know, there are 21 fires, cal fire said pg&e caused didn' other one and so i think we should have more confidence in their ao determine things. >> state senator jerry hill isn't so sure especially since cal fire seems to cast doubt on its findings. >> it is outrageous that they've dug in their heels and said we're not going do that. >> he says cal fire should think twice before they point the finger and refuses to reconsider. >> we're going to push him on it and we'll get a letter going and

we'll just really force this because when you don't blame the right people, you don't hold the right people accountable and responsible for this, that's not justice. >> cal fire should just start from scratch. >> there's a big problem. this is the biggest problem i've seen. the tubbs fire isn't someone's burned chicken coop. a lot of people suffered a lot in this fire and they deserved a good fire report. >> whatever cal fire january, a san francisco jury is set to decide what role, if any, pg&e played in the fire. jaxon vand derbeken, bay area news. >> honoring the fallen. [ bell tolls ] >> dozens of firefighters will remember today in the state's capital and one of them right here in the bay area. what's being done to make sure his service to the community isn't forgotten. right now we continue to

track snow in september across the sierra. winter weather advisory there and increasing chance of showers around the bay area as we finish the weekend. a closer look when we come right back.

the san jose firefighter was among those honored during this yeifornia firefighters memorial ceremony in sacramento. >> richard worhol, san jose. >> 64-year-old richard wardall retired in 2011, shortly after he was diagnosed with firefighter. every fall the state honors firefighters who died in the line of duty this year. this year, 34 firefighters were honored. >> they hailed from different walks of life, but they shared the same heart of a public servant. they shared the same conviction. they shared the same bravery and now they share a permanent place on this wall for making the ultimate sacrifice.

>> each family was presented with a flag at this morning's ceremony and the names of each firefighter was added to the memorial wall on the grounds of the state capitol. it was a big week in the tech world. a first of its kind phone from samsung is now on stoc'siz mcla >> a day in los angeles. it's . >> amazon announced it will be adding celebrity voices to its virtual assistant at the retail giant third annual hardware event where amazon unveiled more than a dozen new products? it's about inviting themselves into your home in a non-threatening way. in addition to new echo speakers, amazon launched a pet tracker, a smart oven and wireless buzz. >> they're perfect for traveling and they're going to give you access for alexa on the go. >> portability offered echo frame glasses and a smart ring called echo loop. >> new ways for amazon's ai to learn more about its users.

>> they can gain more insight into how they shop and how we fabook is developing a hangout called facebook horizon. >> a social, augmented reality experience coming next year o lh the first of its kind phone hitting store shelves today. >> that comes after a big ts y they were going to release it in april. the new and improved phone opens like a book into a 7.3" screen. >> i think there's a niche out there with the early tech adopters saying this is great. while many say the technology is impressive and it comes with a hefty price tag. it may be enough to scare off some consumers. liz mclaughlin, nbc news. >> 2,000. ? that's a little steep. that's a little steep. >> rob mayeda is joining us now with other eye-opening news. we have the snow and the weather

is still free. >> the weather is free. >> we have wind around the bay area and snow in the sierra and gain, we'll be looking at a during the day tomorrow. let's take you outside rid now a and we have winds at 20 miles per hour and 66 degrees as the cooldown continues and checkes 5 miles per hour and sfo continues to see very gusty winds and up to 47 miles per hour and 59 degrees, but t around squaw valley in high camp and we've got snow and we'll probably see maybe as much as four to six inches of snow closer to the summit between now and early monday and the winter weather advisory and keep that in mind and that will be ongoing through the day tomorrow at least the first half of monday. notice our temperatures tonight, areas still seeing wind tonight will stay in the 40s and 50s and some of the sheltered valley like up close to santa rosa and

there's a chance you can see upper 30s and the highs tomorrow similar to what we saw today a in the low 60s in san francisco and yes, the chance of some showers which will be tracking for you during the day tomorrow. the sthe north and scanning th skies around the bay area and not seeing a whole lot right now and not too far to the east. if you're around concord and fairfield, you see those big, towering cumulonimbus clouds. this is a line of showers that has been dropping hail right there along interstate 5 approaching sacramento and they continue to meef off to tove of east-southeast. it is accumulating hail which if you're around woodland is snow and that's in sacramento. more shower activity , and it i coming over land and doesn't have a lot of moisture to work with. it is cold enough for snow to near 5,000 feet to wrap things

up tomorrow. the future cast moving forward and the best chance for finding measurable rainfall will be up in the north bay although i wouldn't rule out places closer to the santa cruz mountains. we might see a few showers trying to fire up for the morning and during the afternoon right there along highway 17 and mid-afternoon and evening and you'll begin to see those increasing 9:00. that's the best window of opportunity to see a few showers, but stay tuned. now monday morning, there's still a chance of seeing a few more showers for about lunchtime on monday and once the system starts to clear on out and we'll see some clearing skies and drying conditions and the models trending toward lower temperatures as high pressure tries to go back by next friday. so a winter like finish in the sierra, windy around the bay area again tomorrow and probably not as gusty as we're seeing today and there is a better chance of showers for tomorrow

by midweek aweekend. >> it's an exciting time. fall and a bit of summer. >> rob, thanks a lot and we'll >> something for everyone. be right back. biggest

street fair in san francisco. we're talking about t it's always a popular and lively event in the city. it covers more than 13 city blocks. on another side of the world, cowboy hats are a symbol of the old west and now they're the symbol of the napa county sheriff's department look. they offered new cowboy hats and they serve two purposes. one they protect deputies from the sun, that is important and they're a tribute to the area's history. >> the 45th season of "saturday night live" premieres tonight. actor woody harrelson will host with billy irish, keenan thompson and he's been on the show for 16 seasons. this will it. >> you can't miss

thil gathering around -- yeah. all right. people will be gathering around their heaters tonight? >> jacket weather. >> we got to that time of year and tomorrow morning and i think parts of the north bay, you might see 30s to low 40s if you're in a wind-sheltered valley and mostly 60s around the bay area that include san jose and santa rosa and look at clear lake and 58 for tomorrow and it's only the best chance of fiendi finding showers around the north bay and we may see showers into monday and as the winter like pattern arrives and moves on out, back to average temperatures by midweek and climbing closer to the mid-80s and it's supposed to be the next weekend of fall and we jump to winter this weekend. so maybe we'll get a more fall-like weeke as the sierra b

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racing to put out a fire. right now the evacuation orders with still in effect. >> this is in the shellville area, specifically the intersection of highway 115 and 121. firefighters are telling people within a one mile radius to get out. the good news is it appears the firefighters are getting a hand on this one. it's not clear how the fires started. >> you see the wind blowing the trees. let's bring in our meteorologist with the conditions up there. is the most important component when kedealing with fires.

we are seeing winds of